A graduate of the University of Southern California, Will Ferrell became interested in performing while a student at University High School in Irvine, California, where he made his school's daily morning announcements over the public address system in disguised voices. He started as a member of the Los Angeles comedy/improvisation group The Groundlings, where fellow cast members Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph and former Saturday Night Live repertory players such as Laraine Newman, Jon Lovitz and Phil Hartman began their careers. It was there he met Chris Kattan and the two became good friends and both went on to Saturday Night Live later. He has also appeared on several television programs, including Strangers with Candy, Grace Under Fire and Living Single during his time at The Groundlings. Will also lent his voice to the armless and legless dad of cartoon family The Oblongs. In 1995 he became a feature cast member at Saturday Night Live during the show's rapid re-casting. He was declared quite possibly the worst cast member ever during his first season. However, his talents of impersonations and range of characters shot him forward to making him arguably the greatest Saturday Night Live cast member ever. During his seven year run he is one of the few cast members to ever be nominated for an Emmy for a performance and played George W. Bush during the 2000 elections. He's appeared in every Saturday Night Live movie since his premiere on the show in 1995. In 2002 he left Saturday Night Live and was the only cast member to ever receive a farewell from all the current cast members at the end of the season finale show. Since leaving the show Will has pursued a career in films. In 2000 he married and now lives in L.A.
| Movie | Larry's Kidney | 2026 | |
| Movie | Not So Fast, My Friend: A Lee Corso Special | Self | 2025-08-22 |
| Movie | Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music | Self | 2025-01-27 |
| Series | SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night | Self | 2025-01-16 |
| Movie | You're Cordially Invited | Jim | 2025-01-29 |
| Movie | SNL50: The Homecoming Concert | Self | 2025-02-14 |
| Movie | The Roast of Tom Brady | Ron Burgundy | 2024-05-05 |
| Movie | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: 10th Anniversary Special | Self (archive footage) | 2024-05-14 |
| Movie | Despicable Me 4 | Maxime (voice) | 2024-06-20 |
| Movie | Barbie | Mattel CEO | 2023-07-19 |
| Movie | Quiz Lady | Terry McTeer | 2023-09-09 |
| Movie | Strays | Reggie (voice) | 2023-08-17 |
| Movie | Spirited | Present | 2022-11-10 |
| Movie | Val | Self (archive footage) | 2021-07-23 |
| Series | The Shrink Next Door | Martin 'Marty' Markowitz | 2021-11-11 |
| Movie | Downhill | Pete Stanton | 2020-02-06 |
| Movie | Impractical Jokers: The Movie | Miami Restaurant Guy #4 | 2020-02-21 |
| Movie | Feeding America Comedy Festival | Self | 2020-05-10 |
| Movie | 537 Votes | George W. Bush (archive footage) | 2020-10-21 |
| Movie | VOMO: Vote or Miss Out | Self | 2020-09-14 |
| Movie | Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga | Lars Erickssong | 2020-06-26 |
| Movie | The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part | President Business / Dad | 2019-02-06 |
| Movie | Drunk Parents | Bum | 2019-02-08 |
| Movie | Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" | Tom Willis | 2019-05-22 |
| Movie | Between Two Ferns: The Movie | Will Ferrell | 2019-09-20 |
| Movie | Zeroville | Rondell | 2019-09-19 |
| Movie | The 2018 Rose Parade Hosted by Cord & Tish | Cord Hosenbeck | 2018-01-01 |
| Movie | The Royal Wedding Live with Cord and Tish! | Cord Hosenbeck | 2018-05-19 |
| Movie | Holmes & Watson | Sherlock Holmes | 2018-12-25 |
| Movie | The House | Scott Johansen/The Butcher | 2017-06-29 |
| Movie | Daddy's Home 2 | Brad | 2017-11-09 |
| Movie | Zoolander 2 | Jacobim Mugatu | 2016-02-06 |
| Movie | A.C. Green: Iron Virgin | Narrator | 2016-05-13 |
| Series | The Late Late Show with James Corden | Himself | 2015-03-23 |
| Movie | Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber | Ron Burgundy | 2015-03-30 |
| Movie | Get Hard | James King | 2015-03-26 |
| Movie | A Deadly Adoption | Robert Benson | 2015-06-20 |
| Movie | Ferrell Takes the Field | Himself | 2015-09-12 |
| Series | The Spoils Before Dying | Eric Jonrosh | 2015-07-08 |
| Movie | Daddy's Home | Brad Whitaker | 2015-12-25 |
| Series | The Spoils of Babylon | Eric Jonrosh | 2014-01-09 |
| Movie | And the Oscar Goes To... | Self (archive footage) | 2014-02-01 |
| Series | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Himself | 2014-02-17 |
| Movie | The Lego Movie | Lord Business / President Business / The Man Upstairs | 2014-02-06 |
| Movie | 22 Jump Street | The Man (uncredited) | 2014-06-05 |
| Movie | The Internship | Kevin (uncredited) | 2013-06-07 |
| Movie | Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues | Ron Burgundy | 2013-12-18 |
| Series | Drunk History | Roald Dahl | 2013-07-09 |
| Movie | The Campaign | Cam Brady | 2012-08-09 |
| Movie | Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie | Damien Weebs | 2012-03-02 |
| Movie | Casa de Mi Padre | Armando Alvarez | 2012-03-15 |
| Series | Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee | Himself | 2012-07-19 |
| Movie | Fight for Your Right Revisited | Ad-Rock (B-Boys 2) | 2011-04-22 |
| Movie | Star Wars Spoofs | Himself | 2011-01-01 |
| Movie | Megamind: The Button of Doom | Megamind (voice) | 2011-02-25 |
| Series | Billy on the Street | Himself | 2011-12-18 |
| Movie | Everything Must Go | Nick Halsey | 2011-05-13 |
| Movie | The Love We Make | Self | 2011-09-10 |
| Series | Funny or Die Presents | Abraham Lincoln | 2010-02-15 |
| Movie | Presidential Reunion | George W. Bush | 2010-03-02 |
| Movie | The Women of SNL | Ted Nettters / Craig Buchanan / Alex Trebek / Various (archive footage) | 2010-11-01 |
| Movie | Megamind | Megamind (voice) | 2010-10-28 |
| Movie | The Other Guys | Detective Allen Gamble | 2010-08-06 |
| Series | Eastbound & Down | Unknown | 2009-02-15 |
| Movie | Bat Fight with Will Ferrell | 2009-02-01 | |
| Movie | Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America - A Final Night with George W. Bush | George W. Bush | 2009-03-14 |
| Movie | Land of the Lost | Dr. Rick Marshall | 2009-06-05 |
| Movie | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard | McDermott (uncredited) | 2009-05-29 |
| Movie | SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas | (archive footage) | 2009-12-17 |
| Movie | SpongeBob's Truth or Square | Self | 2009-11-16 |
| Series | Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis | Unknown | 2008-01-04 |
| Movie | Semi-Pro | Jackie Moon | 2008-02-28 |
| Movie | Step Brothers | Brennan Huff | 2008-07-25 |
| Series | The Graham Norton Show | Himself | 2007-02-22 |
| Series | The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show | Unknown | 2007-01-17 |
| Series | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Donald Mahanahan | 2007-02-11 |
| Movie | Blades of Glory | Chazz Michael Michaels | 2007-03-30 |
| Movie | Good Cop, Baby Cop | Angel | 2007-06-30 |
| Movie | The Procedure | Bob | 2007-08-01 |
| Movie | The Landlord | Tenant | 2007-04-17 |
| Movie | Saturday Night Live: The Best of Commercial Parodies | 2006-05-23 | |
| Movie | Curious George | Ted (Man with the Yellow Hat) (voice) | 2006-02-10 |
| Movie | Winter Passing | Corbit | 2006-02-07 |
| Movie | Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby | Ricky Bobby | 2006-08-04 |
| Series | The One Show | Unknown | 2006-08-14 |
| Series | 30 Rock | Unknown | 2006-10-11 |
| Movie | Stranger Than Fiction | Harold Crick | 2006-09-09 |
| Series | The Megan Mullally Show | Unknown | 2006-09-18 |
| Series | Curious George | Unknown | 2006-09-04 |
| Series | The Office | Unknown | 2005-03-24 |
| Movie | Saturday Night Live: The Best of Jimmy Fallon | 2005-01-25 | |
| Movie | Bewitched | Jack Wyatt | 2005-06-21 |
| Movie | Kicking & Screaming | Phil Weston | 2005-05-13 |
| Movie | Wedding Crashers | Chazz Reinhold (uncredited) | 2005-07-13 |
| Movie | Earth to America | George W. Bush | 2005-11-20 |
| Series | The Reichen Show | 2005-11-11 | |
| Movie | The Producers | Franz Liebkind | 2005-12-25 |
| Movie | The Wendell Baker Story | Dave | 2005-08-03 |
| Movie | Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Ron Burgundy | 2004-06-28 |
| Series | Best Week Ever | Unknown | 2004-01-23 |
| Movie | Starsky & Hutch | Big Earl (uncredited) | 2004-03-05 |
| Movie | Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell - Volume 2 | 2004-09-07 | |
| Movie | Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | Ron Burgundy | 2004-12-28 |
| Movie | Melinda and Melinda | Hobie | 2004-12-22 |
| Movie | Oh, What a Lovely Tea Party | Self | 2004-11-17 |
| Series | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Unknown | 2003-01-26 |
| Movie | Old School | Frank | 2003-02-21 |
| Series | The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Unknown | 2003-09-08 |
| Movie | Saturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Kattan | Himself | 2003-09-07 |
| Movie | Elf | Buddy | 2003-11-07 |
| Movie | Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special | Self | 2003-09-14 |
| Series | HypaSpace | Self | 2002-05-13 |
| Series | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | Unknown | 2002-06-08 |
| Movie | NBC 75th Anniversary Special | Self | 2002-05-05 |
| Movie | I Spy | President George W. Bush (voice) (uncredited) | 2002-10-31 |
| Movie | Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell | Self / Various Characters (archive footage) | 2002-09-28 |
| Movie | Boat Trip | Michael, Brian's Boyfriend (uncredited) | 2002-10-01 |
| Movie | Saturday Night Live: The Best of Molly Shannon | Self | 2001-04-15 |
| Movie | Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Federal Wildlife Marshal Willenholly | 2001-08-22 |
| Series | The Oblongs | Bob Oblong (voice) | 2001-04-01 |
| Movie | The Concert for New York City | Self | 2001-10-20 |
| Series | The Guardian | Unknown | 2001-09-25 |
| Movie | Zoolander | Mugatu | 2001-09-28 |
| Movie | Drowning Mona | Cubby | 2000-03-03 |
| Movie | The Ladies Man | Lance DeLune | 2000-10-13 |
| Series | Strangers with Candy | Unknown | 1999-04-07 |
| Series | The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn | Unknown | 1999-03-30 |
| Movie | Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me | Mustafa | 1999-06-08 |
| Series | Family Guy | Unknown | 1999-01-31 |
| Series | The Early Show | Unknown | 1999-11-01 |
| Movie | Girl, Interrupted | John Davis | 1999-12-21 |
| Movie | Dick | Bob Woodward | 1999-08-04 |
| Movie | The Suburbans | Gil | 1999-10-29 |
| Movie | Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special | Self | 1999-09-25 |
| Movie | Superstar | Sky Corrigan / Jesus | 1999-10-08 |
| Movie | Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman | Self / Nancy Reagan / Various Characters | 1998-01-01 |
| Series | Hercules | Geryon | 1998-08-31 |
| Movie | The Thin Pink Line | Darren Clark | 1998-10-07 |
| Movie | A Night at the Roxbury | Steve Butabi | 1998-10-01 |
| Series | TRL | Unknown | 1998-09-14 |
| Movie | Liar Liar | Jeff (Party Guest) | 1997-03-21 |
| Movie | Men Seeking Women | Al | 1997-03-08 |
| Movie | Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery | Mustafa | 1997-05-02 |
| Series | Cow and Chicken | Unknown | 1997-09-16 |
| Movie | Criminal Hearts | Newscaster (uncredited) | 1996-02-15 |
| Movie | Kingpin | screaming during finale (voice) | 1996-07-04 |
| Series | The Daily Show | Unknown | 1996-07-22 |
| Movie | A Bucket of Blood | Young Man | 1995-09-12 |
| Series | On Our Own | Construction Worker | 1994-09-13 |
| Movie | Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | Man chasing Lawnmower [cameo] | 1994-03-18 |
| Series | Late Night with Conan O'Brien | Unknown | 1993-09-13 |
| Series | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Unknown | 1992-05-25 |
| Series | LIVE with Kelly and Mark | Unknown | 1988-09-05 |
| Series | Saturday Night Live | Unknown | 1975-10-11 |
| Series | The Oscars | Unknown | 1953-03-19 |
| Series | Today | Unknown | 1952-01-14 |